India, with captain Virat Kohli back in their ranks, won the toss and decided to bat on the first day of the series-deciding third Test against South Africa at Newlands on Tuesday.

The match was due to start under overcast skies.

Kohli, who missed the second Test with a back injury, said: “We can’t control what’s above us. The pitch looks nice. It’s got grass on it but runs on the board are important at this venue.”

South African captain Dean Elgar said he would also have chosen to bat. “But with overhead conditions in Cape Town I am not too displeased at bowling first.”

South Africa named an unchanged team after winning the second Test in Johannesburg to level the three-match series at 1-1.

India made two changes, with Kohli returning in place of Hanuma Vihari and Umesh Yadav replacing fellow fast bowler Mohammed Siraj who suffered a hamstring injury in Johannesburg.

Teams:

South Africa: Dean Elgar (captain), Aiden Markram, Keegan Petersen, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Kyle Verreynne (wkt), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Duanne Olivier, Lungi Ngidi

India: Virat Kohli (captain), KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Risabh Pant (wkt), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav

Umpires: Marais Erasmus, Adrian Holdstock (both RSA)

TV umpire: Allahuddien Paleker (RSA)

Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)